Babalakin acquitted of N4.7 billion fraud charge

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has discharged and acquitted Wale Babalakin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, over a N4.7 billion fraud suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC had charged Mr. Babalakin, Alex Okoh, and their companies on a 27-count charge of fraud, conspiracy, and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said the EFCC failed to disclose enough information to sustain the allegations against the defendants.
“The amended information filed May 7, 2013, is incurably bad and ineffective,” the judge held.

At Last Obanikoro Admits He Was Present At Ekiti Rigging Meeting

Contrary to his earlier denials, the embattled ministerial nominee, Musiliu Obanikoro, has confessed to several Senators in Abuja that he did participate in an election-eve meeting in Ekiti in June 2014 in which a group of politicians and government ministers met with a Nigerian army general to rig the governorship election in favor of Ayodele Fayose, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The meeting, which is now known as “Ekitigate”, was secretly taped by an army captain who was subsequently forced to flee for his life.

Despite the scandal, President Jonathan went ahead to nominate Obanikoro into his cabinet for the second time, and the nominee is lobbying the Senators to give him a pass during his upcoming nomination hearing.  It is in the process that he has confessed to some of them that he was indeed present at the rigging meeting in Akure, on behalf of the President, to ensure that everything went smoothly.

Obanikoro’s story is that he was simply making “peace” between the army and Ayo Fayose at the meeting, claiming that he was not party to any conversation about rigging.  On the contrary, Obanikoro, who was at the time junior Minister for Defence, is overheard clearly on the tape bragging about the authority granted him by President Jonathan.

Prior to admitting his involvement to the Senators, the former minister met with President Jonathan to discuss the tape and his role. A presidency source said Obanikoro told President Jonathan he was present at the meeting but that a part of the audio-recording was “doctored”.

They said President Jonathan had called him to the meeting to discuss how to mitigate the damage created by the leaked tape.  He told the Senators categorically that it was Jonathan himself who had sent him to Ekiti to help Fayose win the election.  On the tape, Obanikoro says, at least twice, that he is on a “mission” for the President.

He also reportedly told President Jonathan at their meeting that he had asked his US-based lawyers to do a separate voice analysis of the tape and that the lawyers came back with “proof” that certain aspects of the tape had been doctored by SaharaReporters to make the regime look bad.  Counting on that assurance, President Jonathan told a team of reporters from the Wall Street Journal during an interview that the tapes were not real and that he would not investigate the incident.

Obanikoro also told President Jonathan that his US-based lawyers had assured him that they could file some cases against SaharaReporters in the US to “teach SaharaReporters and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore” a lesson. He explained to the president that with enough financial support, his lawyers would file the case and also employ private detectives to take down SaharaReporters. President Jonathan reportedly nodded at the idea, and asked Obanikoro not to worry.

Following that meeting, the former Minister began a series of legal threats last week claiming to have sued SaharaReporters, as well as The Punch newspaper and Premium Times, both in Lagos.  Up until now, those newspapers are yet to be served copies of the lawsuit.

On Tuesday night, Obanikoro, who is also a US citizen, assured some of the Senators that his US lawyers had already filed the libel suit against SaharaReporters in New York.

On Wednesday, Obanikoro deployed a small rented a crowd of protesters to hold placards in front of the National Assembly to denounce the All Progressives Congress.

It is to be noted that two other key participants at the meeting, Police Minister Jelili Adesiyan and Ayo Fayose, the beneficiary of the Ekiti governorship rigging, have admitted that they were at the meeting that was taped by the army captain.

For Obanikoro’s role in the rigging of the election, APC has advocated his being banned from holding any public office, and asked the Senate not to confirm him.  Mr. Jonathan is known to have re-nominated Obanikoro as his prize for stepping down from the PDP governorship race in Lagos.

Who knows maybe PDP need him again to do their dirty job, who knows? Only time will tell.

I can’t guarantee elections will hold March 28, Jega tells senators

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has told Nigerian federal lawmakers he could not guarantee the 2015 general elections will hold on rescheduled dates in March and April.
At a meeting with Senators Wednesday, Mr. Jega said he could not commit himself to the “sanctity” of March 28 and April 11 – dates for the rescheduled Nigeria’s general elections.
He said the electoral commission could not guarantee aspects of the poll that are beyond its control.
Mr. Jega met with the lawmakers to review the decision to postpone the polls from February.
Under the Nigerian law, a further six-week extension of the elections is possible, a prospect opposed by many Nigerians, the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and the international community.
INEC had said the postponement were necessary for security reasons, as military chiefs had warned against going on with the vote to allow it focus on fighting the terror group, Boko Haram.
But the APC said the delay was instigated by President Goodluck Jonathan, to save him and ruling party from losing the elections to the APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
Since announcing the new dates nearly two weeks ago, the commission has declined to clearly confirm that there will be no further delay beyond March 28 and April 11, for presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assembly polls.
Responding to a question by George Akume, Senate Minority Leader, on the sanctity of the new dates, on Wednesday, Mr. Jega said it was difficult for him to respond, saying he could only give assurances over aspects within the control of INEC.
“That’s a very difficult question to answer. I have said not everything that has to do with the conduct of successful election is within the control of INEC,” Mr. Jega said.

Use of card readers
Mr. Jega also said the commission will go forward with its plan to deploy card readers for the elections.
There have been some concerns, mainly from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, about the plan as Nigerian law prohibits electronic voting.
On Wednesday, while PDP Senators opposed the plan, their APC counterparts welcomed it.
Heineken Lokpobri, a PDP Senator from Bayelsa State and Odion Ugbesa, from Edo State, argued against the use of card readers for the elections, saying it would be illegal.
In his response, Mr. Jega said card readers would only be used for accreditation not actual voting.
He said there was no law forbidding the use of electronic devices for accreditation.
“Card reader is used for accreditation not voting. Voting his defined as dropping of ballot paper into ballot box. Accreditation is essential for integrity of the election,” he said.
“Nothing in the constitution says we should not use electronic device in the process of accreditation. Anybody that is not satisfied can go to court. We have solid ground on that,” he said.
He added that the card readers would curb electoral malpractices, as cloned cards would be detected.
Mr. Jega said INEC will perform a mock test on the card readers.
He said some tests had already been taken in the United States, and will now be tested in the six geopolitical zones.
“The card reader has passed in all the 13 test categories conducted in terms of its durability and versatility,” he said.
Mr. Jega said the postponement of the general elections will enable INEC to have a flawless, near-perfect elections.
INEC National Commissioners are to visit state offices to conduct evaluation and comprehensively determine the level of preparation in the election.
He said after the visit, the commission will meet with the heads of departments and directorates of units to conduct a comprehensive assessment, to figure out additional things to be done before March 28.
Mr Jega said a meeting with the inter-agency committee on security will hold a meeting to discuss security on the Election Day.

Reno Omokri reply critics in style (tweets)

After rumours making the rounds on social media that he has been sacked from the position as Special Assistant to the President on New media, Reno Omokri, has issued a biblical response to his supposed ‘enemies’.
Presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, had on Tuesday, February 17, confirmed the replacement of Omokri with entertainment mogul, Obi Asika, who is expected to take charge of the president’s social media coverage.
After the announcement, Omokri came under a barrage of attacks from antagonists and he just couldn’t help but respond.
With a couple of bible verses, Omokri answered his critics. He wrote: “I read Proverbs 24:17-18 and I just love my enemies with a passion. Where would I be without them?”
The second tweet said: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?-Psalm 2:1.”

Who is more intelligent? Buhari or Jonathan? Take a look at this...

APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) was on Christiane Amanpour’s CNN show about the time President Goodluck Jonathan was having a chat with journalists at a special media meeting in Abuja.

Buhari spoke about the ongoing political situation, his thoughts about Obasanjo’s endorsement and how he’ll fight corruption and Boko Haram if he becomes president.

Here’s a full transcript of the interview:

Amanpour: General, welcome to the programme.

Can I ask you first your reaction to the delay in this election by six weeks and to what you just heard President Jonathan say that they will make inroads into much more security within the next six weeks?

Buhari: Well, my reaction is that of disappointment, because the presentation made by INEC was that they were ready to conduct the election on the date they fixed a year ago, and for them to be forced virtually by the military that they cannot guarantee the safety of their workers, they have to concede to the demand of the military [for an] additional six weeks.

Now since those six weeks are within the constitutional time allowed, this was why we came and asked our supporters to remain calm and resolute and obey the laws.

Amanpour: Okay General, let me ask you because you’re a former military general: You were ruling the country briefly. Why is it that the Nigerian military today cannot take on Boko Haram and have failed to combat that terrorist organisation?

Buhari: Well this has been made much more clear when the National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing after the soldiers were giving interviews to foreign media about being sent to the front without proper weapons. The National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing by getting the budgets approved by the National Assembly over the last three years and inviting the service chiefs to come and tell them [why the] weapons were not procured and sent to the soldiers — and competent leadership. And that hearing was scuttled.

So in short, it’s the misapplication or misappropriation of the resources provided by the government for weapons. That’s why the Nigerian military was unable to defeat Boko Haram.

Amanpour: General, you today just got a huge endorsement from a former ally of President Jonathan. That is the former president Obasanjo. How do you react to that, I mean what would that do for your campaign?

Buhari: Well it would certainly bring more supporters to us and more confidence again to us from those who were sitting on the fence, because General Obasanjo is highly respected and as far as Nigerians [issues are] concerned, there’s no serious issue that can be discussed without people seeking for his opinion and listening to it.

Amanpour: Can I now ask you about yourself because headlines around the world are portraying this election as a choice between a failed president and a former dictator — and you’re the former dictator according to these headlines.

You know, people say — and they remember — that you expelled 700,00 migrants years ago thinking that would create jobs, that you’ve banned political meetings and free speech, that you’ve detained thousands of people, secret tribunals, executing people for crimes that were not capital offences. Have you changed or is this what the Nigerian people have to look forward to?

Buhari: Well all those things you mentioned, with a degree of accuracy of actually what happened, was then under a military administration, and when that military adminstration came under my leadership, we — the military — suspended the part of the constitution that we felt would be difficult for us to operate under those circumstances. So I think I’m being judged harshly as an individual that what happened during the military administration can be extended under a multiparty democracy system.

Amanpour: Okay so now you say you’re a democrat. What do you think you can do to combat Boko Haram and to combat the galloping corruption in your country?

Buhari: Well, Boko Haram, we know how it started. Certainly the Nigerian military that built our reputation internationally for effectiveness, it’s a great embarrassment to them and to the country that they haven’t been able to secure [Nigeria’s] territory of an area of 14 local governments out of 774 local governments.

I believed this problem will not be too difficult for [our] APC government because we know the Nigerian military is competent. It’s a question of making sure the money voted for equipment and training [is] properly utilised.

Amanpour: About corruption, there’s so many complaints from many people around your country about massive corruption they say. Can you face up against them? Are you committed to rooting out corruption?

Buhari: We have to, because there are serious citizens of this country that say unless Nigeria kills corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. And that’s best illustrated by another hearing conducted by the National Assembly on pension fund, electricity and then the corruption in the petroleum industry from where the country derives over 90% in external revenue.

The National Assembly conducted a hearing here in Abuja and in the six geopolitical zones of the country, then they took the recommendation to the executive. And it’s been collecting dust for the past 18 months.

Election 2015: Jega appeared, educate Senate on use of card readers

The INEC chairman today stood in front of the senate to explain how the proposed card readers for the 2015 election will be use. Jega said the card readers operate with a battery,in practice during testing the battery does not run down it goes on safe mode when not in use this device also carry sim card whih help to send the details of voters into the server. which will help in getting even statistical data with respect to age, sex, e.t.c. of the electorate. He explain further that it was discovered that the accreditation figures during elections are change in order to perpetuate fraud during election. The demonstration by technical personnel of INEC thereafter took over from there. Jega however affirmed the readiness of the commission to conduct a free, fair and credible elections as schedule

Still ongoing. Further Details later.

Boko haram leader, Shekau fumes says “This election will not hold…”

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau  has vowed to disrupt Nigeria’s general election in a new video released Tuesday.
In the ninth minute of the video which lasted for 11 minutes 57 seconds, Shekau began to talk about Nigeria’s election, stating that, it will not hold in peace.
“This election will not be held even if we are dead. Even if we are not alive Allah will never allow you to do it,” Shekau said in the Hausa language, presumably referring to the polls scheduled for March 28.
He also claimed a weekend attack in Gombe which the military says was repelled.
“And these words are our reply to the current issue that people are talking about,” Shekau said in apparent response to the accusations and counter-accusations regarding election postponement.
“Allah will not let you people hold this election because you people are saying that ‘authority’ people ruling each other,” he said.
He disputed the military’s account of the Gombe clashe claiming that his fighters overran troops and freed insurgents from prison.
Nigeria’s general election had been scheduled for February 14 but was postponed by six weeks with the security services saying they needed more time to contain the violence in the North east, Boko Haram’s stronghold.